Heating means for airplane wings



March 10, 1931.

P. w MELLBERG HEATING MEANS FOR AIRPLANE WINGS Filed Oct. 31, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 1 w Jam. MM

7920/ 14/ Add/berg,

Elm" new March 10, 1931.

F. w. MELLBERG 1,795,664

HEATING MEANS FOR AIRPLANE WINGS attain/m1 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 PATENTOFFICE PAUL WEBESTER MELLBERG, 011' DETROIT, MICHIGAN HEATING MEANS FORAIRPLANE WINGS Application filed October 31, 1927. Serial No. 230,055.

This invention relates to the class of aeronautics and particularly tomeans for maintaining certain portions of an airship, particularly thewings of an airplane, at a temperature which will prevent the formationof ice upon the wing structure when the plane is flying at highaltitudes or in the extreme northern regions where this difficulty isfrequently encountered;

The invention broadly contemplates the provision of a pair or more ofelectric generators having propeller blades secured to the armatureshafts to be driven by the force of air impressed thereagainst duringthe flying of the machine, the machine wings having a suitable number ofresistance elements housed therein which are supplied with current fromthe generators. In this manner the A, interior of the wing structures iskept sufficiently warm to prevent the deposition of ice upon thestructure.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of the present specification, with theunderstand ing, however, that the invention is not confined to anystrict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changedor 0 modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no materialdeparture from the salient features of the invention as expressed in theappended claim.

In the drawings 1- Figure 1 shows a plane in front elevation, showingthe manner in which the generators are mounted. upon the frame thereoffor supplying current to the heating units.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the 0 plane structure shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a dotted outline of the airplane in top plan showing thelocatlon of the resistance units in the wings.

Figure 4 is a View in cross section showing the points in the wing framewhere the heating coils are located.

Referring now to the drawings in detall, wherein like numerals ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, thenumeral 1 indicates generally the fuselage of an airship such as amonoplane, equipped with the depending landing gear 2 which comprisesthe axle 3 and rubber tired wheels 4. i

Projecting across the fuselage of the plane is the wind structureindicated as a whole by the numeral 5 and comprising the laterallydirected wing units 6 The outer ends of blades are designed to berotated by the air force created duringthe movement of the plane throughthe air.

.As shown in Figure 4 the wings are of the usual hollow constructionhaving the spaced frames 11 therein over which thecovering fabric 12 isstretched.

Within each wing structure and extending longitudinally thereof is aseries of resistance coils 13. These coils being connected at their endsby the cross supply wires 14;, each of which supply wires has connectedtherewith a wire 15. Each pair of wires 15 in each wing section or unitleads to the adjacent generator 9 and is appropriately connectedtherewith to receive and convey current therefrom to one of the supplywires of the resistance unit, the current being returned through theother one of the pair of feed wires 15.

As seen in Figure 4 the resistance wires run through and are supportedby, and electrically insulated from, the wing reinforcing and shapingframes 11, as indicated at 16. In this manner the wires are securelyheld free from contact with a fabric covering of the wings and in thismanner the danger of conflagration is entirely eliminated. In all metalplanes also.

For the sake of clarity the feed wires 15 which run to and from thegenerators 9 and connect the resistance wires 13 therewith,

have been shown as free from contact with the plane structure, but itis, of course, to be understood that when in actual use, these feedwires will be properly housed and insulated within the plane structureso that all danger of the wires becoming entangled with outside objectsand broken, will be eliminated.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that only a verysmall amount of current will be needed to maintain the resistance units13 heated sufficiently to maintain the interior of the wings at atemperature which will prevent ice being formed upon the outer surfacesthereof when the plane is flying in an atmosphere having a frozentemperature.

Vhile the heating units have been shown as only in the wings of theplane it is also to be understood that applicant does not wish to limithimself to the placing of these units in this particular position forthe same may be distributed throughout the body of the plane and in therudders, if found desirable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 2-- A heaterfor the wings of an airplane, comprising a series of resistance coilsarranged within and extending longitudinally of each wing, conductorsconnected to the terminals of the coils of each series, an electricgenerator for each series of coils, means for supporting the generatorsat each side of the body of the airplane, conductors connected to eachgenerator and the conductors of each series of coils, and propellerblades secured to the armature shafts of the generators.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PAUL WEBESTER MELLBERG.

